Mummified head of a prehistoric horse, Equus sp.

Caption: Mummified horse. Head of a prehistoric horse Equus sp., well-preserved with its skin and mane hair intact. Hair around the lips and eye can be seen. The mummified state of tissue like this is due to the horse being deep frozen in permafrost. It is 26,000 years old, discovered in 1981 in Yakutia, Russia. It is not known whether this horse is of the same species as modern day horses. However, well-preserved remains such as these will enable scientists to extract DNA genetic material to determine evolutionary relationships. A study of its skin, hair, and tissue can reveal the diet of the horse, its diseases and lifestyle.